MetLife Stadium’s FieldTurf Core surface is again under fire after Malik Nabers’ season-ending knee injury, fueling the ongoing turf-vs-grass debate that NFL players and the NFLPA have pressed for years. A growing chorus argues turf surfaces heighten lower-extremity risk, especially for injured players weighing whether to play. The NFLPA has highlighted grass as preferred by most players, and while MetLife upgraded in 2023, no surface change is on the NFL’s horizon.

The issue isn’t isolated. Nabers follows a string of major knee or Achilles injuries at MetLife since 2020, including Rodgers, Phillips, Robinson, Shepard, Peppers, and Beckham’s 2017 ankle scare, all amplifying concerns about the field’s safety profile. Cincinnati’s Burrow suffered turf-related toe trauma at Paycor Stadium, a FieldTurf Core adopter in 2024, underscoring that turf injuries cross teams and eras.

NYG and the broader league are watching: the Giants’ WR depth will be tested, the Jets weigh play-through-versus-rest, and decision-makers weigh turf realities against home-field dynamics. While the NFL remains unmoved on MetLife, the activism around safer surfaces is unlikely to fade soon.